Waterproof stocking and shoe protector



Feb. 14, 1950 w, E, BAKER 2,497,528

WATERPROOF STOCKING AND SHOE PROTECTOR Fi led May 16, 1947 INVENTOR.WHEN E BAKER Patented Feb. 14, 1950 "UNITED :STATEStPAT OFFICE-WATERPB'OOF STOCKING AND SHOE PROTECTOR Wren E. Baker, Baltimore, Md.

Application May 16, 1947, Serial No. 748,505

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to foot coverings and more particularly to aflexible covering to be placed on the foot alone; on a stocking in ashoe; or outside the shoe itself, to protect the foot,

stocking or shoe against injury, rain, water,

snow or other items that the user has to walk through.

In a particular form of foot sleeve, the device is made of some ordinaryfabric that is formed to flexibly fit the unstockinged foot of a user,and form a lining for a shoe in which it is used. Its main purpose is toprotect the foot against the rubbing of the shoe and causing of blistersand other superficial physical injuries to the users foot. Its main useis to enable the user to put a shoe on an unstockinged foot and have therest of the leg bare, to comply with special fashions or customs arisingperiodically or geographically from time to time, or based on healthreasons. Its structure is of the simplest nature without any specialregard as to how it should fit or what particular requirements it shouldmeet. It is however conspicuous by reason of it being of the fabricmaterial. In order to avoid it bein noticeable when in use, it islimited to the size of the shoe so it will not be seen above the sidesof the shoe when placed on the foot therein. It does not afford muchprotection against rain or water or anticipate its use with the recentlyused open-teed shoe, which ordinarily would make its use unsuitable.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new andimproved foot and shoe glove that will avoid one or more of thedisadvantages and limitations of the prior art.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved footand shoe glove that will be easy to carry around and place securely onthe foot, stocking, or opened-toe or latticed shoe of the user toprotect it against injury, rain and other conditions met through duringthe use of shoes.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a new and improvedfoot or shoe glove for the foot that will be inconspicuous yet effectivefor the purposes intended.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent as the invention ismore fully set forth.

For a clearer understanding of the invention,

its principles and objects thereof reference is made to the appendeddrawings and the following description. These together outline aparticular form of the invention by way of example, while the claimpoints out and distinguishes the scope of the invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side view of a foot and shoe glove embodying thisinvention, the dotted outline including a phantom view of the foot onwhich it is mounted.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the glove shown on the foot of the userinside an opened-toe shoe, parts being broken away to show thearrangement underneath;

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the glove mounted on the top of anopen-toe shoe.

Figure 4' is a sectional view taken along line 44 of Figure 5, and

Figure 5 is a view of the bottom of the foot glove shown in Figure 2.

Similar reference numerals pertain to the same parts throughout thevarious figures.

In the construction shown in the drawings, I0 is a foot and shoe glovemade of a flexible or plastic transparent plastic in a form suitable tofit the contour of the human foot II and like- Wise to fit a shoe l2.This is arranged by forming the instep underneath I3 raised to conformroughly with the sole and heel parts of the shoe,

so as to fit thereon. This contouring in the material does not preventit being flexibly adjusted to the foot itself when placed directlythereon or over a stocking. The heel is provided with several externalribs M running longitudinally to stiffen this portion and enable it towithstand considerable wear, and yet not interfere with the handling andfolding of the glove when not in use. Likewise the toe portion isprovided with external ribs 15 to protect that part, especially againstthe abrasion caused by kicking an object. The ribs in both instancesprevent the glove from creeping in any direction. They are spread outsufiiciently to avoid an uncomfortable effect on the user and take upthe wear where it is greatest. The plastic which could be somewhatsimilar to synthetic rubber should be reasonably thick, as indicated inthe drawings, to give it adequate strength and wearability, withoutdiminishing its flexibility appreciably.

The use of the glove on the foot of the user enables him to walk on theground without his feet being contaminated or injured thereby, dependingon the circumstances. At the same-time, the glove is hardly noticeableas it is transparent. In the second instance, using the glove on top ofa stocking on the foot and in an openedtoe shoe, the glove prevents theowners toe from making a hole in the stocking, and it takes up all theabrasions, shocks and rubbings that occur on the shoe stockingprojecting from the toe of the shoe. In case of rain or snow, the gloveprotects the stocking and incidentally the foot within it. Another orthird use of the glove, is for placement over the shoe itself where itwill act as a preservative or coating against rain, snow and dirt. Itwill retain the appearance and polish of the shoe and may be readilyremoved if desired.

The upper rim l6 of the glove is curved from the front to the rear andis higher in back of the heel portion I! to hold itself securely thereonby its resiliency. It is not of much consequence whether the shoe ishigher or lower than the rim of the glove, as the latter is transparentand becomes inconspicuous. It is made relatively thin so it can behandled easily and to make it very flexible for carrying purposes. Thisflexibility also enables it to be placed on or removed from the foot orshoe readily and stretch to suit. The plastic used is preferably of thesynthetic rubber class, but other classes of plastics, well known at thepresent time, can be employed in the construction of the device. Allsuch plastics are made in the transparent or translucent form, areelastic and Waterproof. The glove can be made by conventional dippingmethods, with the ribs formed without much additional trouble. Asalready described, the foot glove herein referred to is usable in fourways: (a) on to of a shoe; (b) on top of a stocking; directly on thefoot of the user, and (d) directly on the foot but under a stocking wornby the user. The transparency of the material reduces the heat eifectsof the glove on the foot.

While but one general form of the invention is shown in the drawings anddescribed in the specifications, it is not desired to limit thisapplication for patent to ths particular form or in any other wayotherwise than limited by the scope thereof, as it is appreciated thatother forms of construction could be made that would use the sameprinciples and come within the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

A glove for a foot comprising a thin plastic shell of uniform thickness,said shell having a sole engaging portion contoured to elastically fitthe foot of the wearer and an upper portion terminating in a rim closelyfitting the top of the foot, and the heel and toe portions of said solehaving a plurality of spaced narrow independent ribs disposed onlylongitudinally of the sole throughout the length of the heel portion ofthe sole and at the extreme toe end only thereof, each of the ribs atthe toe end of the sole continuing up onto the forward end of the upperportion.

WREN E. BAKER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date D. 39,862 Hood Mar. 2, 19091,537,778 Nyhagen May 12, 1925 1,552,022 Willson Sept. 1, 1925 1,604,954Artz Nov. 2, 1926 1,810,514 Bennett June 16, 1931 1,907,856 Murphy May9, 1933 1,952,628 MacDonald Mar. 29, 1934 1,980,486 King Nov. 13, 19342,079,331 Nyhagen May 4, 1937 2,114,421 Guifire Apr. 19, 1938 2,257,390Maling Sept. 30, 1941 2,276,398 Hosker Mar. 17, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTSNumber Country Date 17,864 Great Britain Aug. 1, 1912

